


It Could Stay This Simple

by arysa13



Series: Family is Family [2]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Birthday, Canon Compliant, Cute Kids, F/M, Family, Fluff, Future Fic, Surprises
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-24
Updated: 2018-01-24
Packaged: 2019-03-08 22:13:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13467639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arysa13/pseuds/arysa13
Summary: Archie plans a surprise party for Betty's birthdayPrompt: Archie is planning a birthday surprise party for Betty, and Polly's kids wants to help Archie





	It Could Stay This Simple

**Author's Note:**

> Bit of a sequel to my fic "And Teach Them How to Dream" but it probably makes sense on it's own?

It’s Betty’s first birthday since she and Archie became a couple, and Archie is determined to make it great. And honestly, is there anything Betty likes more than a surprise party?

At his request, Alice has told Betty she can’t have a party at their house and will have to make do with a nice dinner. Betty had been a little disappointed, so Archie knows she’s going to love the party. The only problem is, it’s one week away and Archie isn’t even slightly organised. Betty would probably say it’s Classic Archie, and she probably wouldn’t be wrong.

“Archie,” Alice Cooper tilts her head as she opens her front door. The jury is still out on whether Alice actually likes him or just tolerates him for Betty’s sake. He’ll take either.

“Hi, Mrs. Cooper,” Archie greets her.

“How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?” Alice scolds him gently.

“Sorry. Alice,” he corrects himself. “Betty’s not home, is she?”

Alice shakes her head, confirming what Archie had already known. Betty is staying in New York this weekend to get some studying done. But she’ll definitely be home for her birthday next weekend.

“I was hoping I could talk to you about the party,” Archie continues. Alice is about to answer, but she’s interrupted by two tiny humans jumping out from behind the door excitedly.

“A party!” Juniper exclaims. “What party?”

“Can we come?” Dagwood asks.

“You’ll have to ask your mom and your grandma,” Archie tells them diplomatically. Alice rolls her eyes.

“Come inside, Archie,” she sighs. “I wasn’t exactly going to tell them about the party,” Alice says as she leads Archie into the kitchen. “Can I get you a drink?”

“Water, please.”

“What party?” Juniper asks again.

“It’s a birthday party for your Aunt Betty,” Archie tells them. “But it’s a surprise, so you can’t tell her, okay?”

“A surprise party! Can we help?” Juniper begs. Archie looks to Alice. She gives him a look that says _look what you’ve started._  Archie grins sheepishly.

“Sure, you can help,” he says. “What do you want to do?”

“They’re four, Archie,” Alice says in exasperation. “They aren’t exactly up to handling the guest list.”

“Well, lucky I’ve already taken care of that part,” Archie says.

“And that’s the only thing you’ve taken care of. Apparently, we’re going to have a lot of people but no food, no music, and no decorations,” Alice huffs.

“Well, maybe the twins can help me with decorations,” Archie suggests. “Would you like that?” he asks them.

“Maybe you should delegate some of the other tasks. Do you want me to take care of the cake?” Alice offers.

“That would great! Thanks, Mrs. Coo—I mean, Alice,” Archie grins.

“And maybe you can ask Veronica or Jughead to help with the rest of the food,” Alice continues. “I assume you can handle the music part on your own?” She raises an eyebrow at him, and he knows she’s trying to seem disapproving, but she accidentally smirks a little and Archie can’t help but grin. She totally approves of him.

-

Archie takes a trip to a craft store to get supplies for decoration making, and when he returns, Alice has laid out newspaper pages all over the living room floor.

“I won’t have you getting glue or paint all over the carpet,” she tells him. Archie shakes his head, grinning, and takes the supplies into the living room where the twins are already waiting for him.

“Alright, kids, it’s decorating time!” Archie announces.

Archie is soon very glad Alice put the paper down, as Juniper and Dagwood make a quick mess of things. They start out making paper chains to hang on the wall, but the twins soon get bored of that and decide to make happy birthday signs. They can’t spell yet, so Archie traces the letters out for them and then they paint over them. Not very well, but you can still vaguely tell that it’s supposed to say _Happy Birthday Betty_. Betty will appreciate it anyway.

Alice walks into the living room as Archie is finishing up his last paper chain. The room is a mess and the twins have paint all over themselves.

“I hope you’re going to clean this up, Archibald,” she says. “I’m not giving Polly her children back like that.”

Archie takes the twins to the bathroom to get the paint off their hands and faces. They squirm and chatter the whole time, but eventually he manages to get their skin clean. There isn’t much he can do about their clothes though. Perhaps he should have invested in some art smocks.

He leaves a disgruntled Alice to deal with the clothes, grinning sheepishly as he leaves, promising the twins he’ll see them next weekend.

-

A week later, with the help of Alice, Veronica and Jughead, Archie finally has a semi decent party organised.

“Honestly, Archiekins, you really should have put me in charge of the party planning,” Veronica tells him, watching as he hangs the paper chains he made.

“I think he’s done a great job,” Jughead says. Arche gives him a grateful look. “Betty’s going to love it,” Jughead continues. “Especially these posters.” He picks Dagwood’s poster up by the corner. “Good thing you’re studying music and not art,” he grimaces.

“You’re hilarious,” Archie jumps down from the stool he’s been using to hang the paper chains. “Veronica, aren’t you meant to be meeting Betty at your place?”

“Okay, I get the message, you want us out of your hair,” Veronica puts her hands up.

“You guys are clear on the plan, right?” Archie says.

“ _Yes,_ Archie,” Veronica huffs. “Everything is going to go swimmingly,” she smiles. Jughead nods in agreement.

Archie exhales. He really hopes his friends are right.

-

Archie goes to pick Betty up from Veronica’s at promptly 7pm. She looks amazing, as always, and her shy smile still gives him butterflies.

“Ready to go?” he asks her with a smile of his own. She nods and follows him to his car. “Sorry your mom said you couldn’t have a party,” he says.

“It’s okay,” Betty shrugs. “Dinner will be nice. If Mom and Dad can be civil the whole time,” she grimaces.

“I’m sure it will be fine,” Archie assures her.

They head to the fanciest restaurant in town, since Alice has insisted on paying for everyone, even Hal. Alice and Polly are already seated at a table when Archie and Betty arrive, and Hal arrives a second later. It’s almost like he was waiting in the carpark for them so he didn’t have to go in and sit with Alice and Polly alone. The two women sit in silence until Archie and Betty sit down.

“Polly!” Betty gives her sister a hug before sitting down across from her. Archie takes the seat across from Alice, next to Betty. “Who’s looking after the twins tonight?” Betty asks as Hal joins them at the head of the table, between Polly and Betty.

“Cheryl has the twins tonight,” Polly says. “Hi, Dad,” Polly nods.

“Girls,” Hal returns. “Archie. Alice.”

“Hello, Hal,” Alice says with a fake smile. “Shall we order?”

“Yeah, I want to get home to the kids as soon as possible,” Polly says. “Cheryl has her girlfriend over tonight, and it’s not that I don’t trust her, and I’m coming around on the Serpents since meeting Toni, but I’m feeling a little anxious.”

Archie’s feeling a little anxious himself, if he’s honest. He’s pretty confident Betty doesn’t suspect a thing, but he can’t help wondering how things are going back at the Coopers house, and whether or not everything is going according to plan. Betty must sense his anxiety as she places a hand on his knee under the table, rubbing it softly.

“Hey,” she says gently. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah,” Archie says quickly. “I think I’m going to have a burger.” Betty smirks a little, shaking her head. He knows exactly what she’s thinking. _Classic Archie, ordering a burger from the fanciest restaurant in town._ At least she finds it endearing.

They haven’t even ordered their food when Polly gets the prearranged call from Cheryl.  She puts down the phone, looking sufficiently worried, those enormous green eyes almost popping out of her head. Maybe Polly should consider a career in acting.

“That was Cheryl,” Polly says. “Something is wrong with Juniper, we have to go, right now.”

“Oh my god!” Betty says. “Yes, let’s go.”

“I’ll take you home,” Archie says to Betty.

“Maybe I should go with Polly, maybe I can help,” Betty says. Maybe _there’s something wrong with Juniper_ wasn’t the best cover story for why they have to leave dinner early.

“I’ll go,” says Alice gently. “You go with Archie and we’ll call you when we find out what’s wrong.”

Betty nods and lets Archie take her hand and lead her to his car.

“Juniper is going to be fine,” Archie assures her. Betty nods again, and Archie curses himself for making her worry. Why had everyone agreed to this plan? He’s even more anxious now as he drives back to the Cooper house. What if Betty hates him for making her think her niece was in danger.

The house is dark and quiet as he pulls up out the front, and he almost thinks maybe everyone forgot about the party. He glances up the street to see Hal’s car pulling into the street, and then Alice and Polly right behind him.

“Let’s go inside,” he says to Betty. Betty nods and takes his hand as the ascend the front steps. Betty puts her key in the lock and swings the door open and—

“SURPRISE!”

“Oh my god, you guys!” Betty places a hand on her chest. “I’m so surprised!” She looks to Archie smiling. He squints at her.

“You knew, didn’t you?” he guesses. Betty laughs.

“Kind of,” she grins. She gestures to where Cheryl and Toni are each holding a twin, each one holding their hand made happy birthday sign. “The twins are terrible secret keepers.”

Archie shakes his head. He can’t really be mad at the twins. Alice had warned him.

“Well, happy birthday,” he says with a wry smile, and Betty gives him a peck on the lips.

“Thanks, Archie,” she says. “I love it. And I love you.”

“Gross!” Cheryl interjects. “If I have to watch one more second of this barf-fest I’m leaving. Can we get to the party, already?”

“Why is she invited, again?” Betty asks Archie, as everyone takes Cheryl’s cue to start up their own conversations.

“Family, or something like that,” Archie shrugs.

“Right, family,” Betty nods, smiling. She kisses him again. “What would I do without them, huh?”


End file.
